


You're A Regular Byron

by TintagelCastle



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Author can't write poetry so NEITHER CAN KYLO, Author tried, EVERYONE - Freeform, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, Kylo is a terrible roommate, Kylo listens to too much MCR, M/M, Millicent is Not Amused, Modern AU, Phasma is such a bro, Poet Kylo, Rey Ex Machina, University, everyone is ooc, hux suffers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-28
Updated: 2016-03-28
Packaged: 2018-05-29 18:35:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6388165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TintagelCastle/pseuds/TintagelCastle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Hux had met a few art students, and Kylo seemed to be the worst of the lot, the reason for this Hux didn’t discover for another month:</p><p>Kylo Ren wasn’t an artist. Oh no. He was a <em>poet</em>. "</p><p> </p><p>AKA Not Another Student AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're A Regular Byron

**Author's Note:**

> Please do not shoot the author. I am trying my best.

“Ren! Ren! Oh for fuck’s… _KYLO_!!”

Slamming his laptop shut Hux stomped to the poster covered door and pounded on it with his fist. This was it. This was the day Hux finally did humanity a favour and strangled his roommate. He’d be commended, he was pretty sure, might even get an award for it. 

To Hux’s mounting frustration, Kylo didn’t seem to hear him, though that seemed logical, considering the _unholy_ cacophony of noise that Kylo classed as “music” thundering from behind the door. Hux had been struggling with his essay for the better part of three days, and Kylo fucking _knew_ it. He’d just finally been getting into the flow of talking about 13th century warfare when a loud blend of caterwauling and drums ripped through his concentration and merrily scattered the remains all over the floor. 

Hux cast another baleful look at his abandoned laptop whilst the singer wailed on about carving out their heart or whatever and redoubled his efforts.

“KYLO REN! YOU OPEN UP RIGHT THIS SECOND OR I’LL-”

The door swung inward so suddenly Hux nearly fell face first into other man. Kylo blinked owlishly at him through untidy hair, sporting a rumpled tee-shirt of some no-name rock band, pyjama pants and _really_ , it was three it the afternoon. 

“Jesus Hux, what’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with _me?_ What’s wrong with _you?_ ”

“I haven’t done anything.” Kylo protested, sounding genuinely confused, which only served to rile Hux up further. 

“You’re playing this crap at full volume!”

Splotches of ruddy pink began to colour Kylo’s face. “Snoke and the Knights is a great band!” He retorted, whiny voice audible even over what sounded like someone playing a bagpipe made of sick cats. “You just don’t appreciate-”

“I’m trying to write my essay and your so-called _music_ is making my brain bleed. Turn. It. Off.”

Kylo huffed and crossed his arms defiantly. “If you don’t like it, feel free to write your damn paper elsewhere.” He sneered. Hux opened his mouth to argue that he was most certainly not going to be chased from his own goddamn kitchen just because Kylo couldn’t adhere to the normal standards of society and just turn his shit down. Kylo’s mouth was turned down into a stubborn pout and his brows were drawn together in a look Hux had encountered before: Kylo wasn’t going to budge. They’d had similar arguments before and, though Hux got his way most of the time, that look was one that signalled Kylo’s inevitable victory this time. Hux drew himself up to his full height to glare right in Kylo’s stupid face. 

“Maybe I will.” He declared, then inwardly winced because _that_ was his best parting shot? Exhaling loudly with his exasperation Hux gathered up his supplies and stormed out their apartment, violently slamming the door on Snoke and the Knights’ screeching as he did so.

……………………………………………………..

Never, in a million years, in a million worlds, would Hux ever understand what convinced him to agree to a flat share with Kylo Ren. 

(Okay, if Hux were honest, his father had a lot to do with it. Hux senior had always been a cold implacable man and when his son announced he wasn’t the least bit interested in women there had been….discussions. When Hux had angrily began packing his things his father had told him he would soon come crawling back, unable to get by without leaning on the family name. So, in a roundabout way, moving to America, pouring whatever savings he had into a uni degree and ending up sharing an apartment with someone he hated was _proving a point._ ) 

He’d thought it had been a godsend when he’d found an ad in the local paper seeking a roommate. The _No Jocks!_ request had been a little odd, but Hux put that aside and had rang the number almost immediately. It was then arranged for him to come see the apartment, a short tour given by a lanky, dark haired mess of a man who introduced himself as Kylo Ren. 

_“Anything else I should know?”_ Hux had said, taking in the rock band paraphernalia littering the place.

Kylo had shrugged and thrust his hands into his pockets. _“Uh, no, not that I can think of. I listen to music aloud when I study, hope that’s not a problem.”_

_“Not at all.”_ Hux had replied politely.

A small smile flashed across that pale face, disappearing under the waves of dark hair as he hung his head a little. Kylo’s whole demeanour gave off an air of someone trying to make himself smaller despite the fact he was clearly taller than everyone else around him. Hux had taken in the guy’s attire and general awkwardness and came to the conclusion that he must be some kind of art student. He could work with that. Art and Military History, they probably wouldn’t see much of each other. 

_”Great. Rent’s due at the end of each month, we can sort out how we split it later.”_ Kylo said, extending his hand a little shyly _“Welcome home.”_

Hux had shaken it and prepared to settle in.

It was only two weeks later that he started to regret it. 

Kylo was a _horrible_ roommate. Hux could only watch in horror as Kylo continuously committed crimes against the household from as small as leaving his dirty dishes around the place, to the appalling, like deciding three AM was a wonderful time to start singing along to his music at top volume. He seemed to have two settings: Hide In Your Room For Days, and Sprawl Your Shit Everywhere. Hux much preferred the former, even if it meant having his ears attacked by the muffled din. Hux had met a few art students, and Kylo seemed to be the worst of the lot, the reason for this Hux didn’t discover for another month:

Kylo Ren wasn’t an artist. Oh no. He was a _poet_. 

How he managed to major in poetry was anyone’s guess, seeing as he was terrible at it. Hux witnessed it first-hand as Kylo pottered around their kitchenette dramatically reciting whatever drivel he’d scribbled on a beat up notepad. The style Kylo was fond of writing appeared to be desperately trying to harken to the Romantics, like Shelley and Wordsworth, but usually ended up sounding more like something a fourteen year old would put on their facebook pages in an attempt to be ‘edgy’. Hux remembered barely containing his laughter as he attempted to explain that whilst “hearts entwined in a delicate truce” was pretty good, “a sweet face the colour of puce” was really _not._ Kylo had then retreated to his room, his face like thunder whilst ranting about how Hux didn’t get it.

Hux had laughed himself sick the second Kylo slammed his bedroom door. 

……………………………………………………………..

“Did Ren kick you out?”

Hux looked up from his essay (which still remained stubbornly mid-sentence where he’d left it over four hours ago, thanks a bunch Kylo) to see Phasma sliding into the chair opposite. The local café was a nice place to hang out, mostly filled with students like Hux trying to beat their paperwork into submission. Hux liked Phasma, despite how physically intimidating she was. They’d met in the gym, where Hux had gone to blow off some steam instead of punching his roommate right in his stupid face. Phasma was cool, and was more than willing to let Hux vent if he bought her a large chocolate Frappuccino whilst he did it.

She sipped at the drink now, tossing Hux’s change back at him. Hux sighed.

“No, this time I left, he’s just so…so..”

“’Insufferable’? You normally go with ‘insufferable’.” Phasma offered helpfully.

“Insufferable. Yes. Remind me again why I can’t just move in with you?”

“Because my apartment’s not big enough? Because you can’t afford the rent in my neighbourhood on your shitty part-time salary? Because you plan on leaving when you graduate next year anyway? Pick one.”

“Thanks.” Hux deadpanned, draining the last dregs of his coffee. Phasma indicated his laptop with a jerk of her chin;

“You still working on that thing? I thought you were really getting into it.”

“So did I, until His Lordship decided to break the sound barrier with his fucking Snoke songs.”

She winced sympathetically. “Yikes, not even good crap then.”

“That’s what I said!” Hux cried triumphantly, slamming his cup onto the table top with a smidgen more force than necessary, causing Phasma to roll her eyes at him. “Ugh he’s such a baby!” 

“Says the guy that ran off to the café because his roommate was being a dick.”

Hux flicked a stray crumb from his long eaten muffin at her, huffing a laugh. “Whose side are you on anyway?” 

She grinned at him. “Whoever buys me Frappuccinos, really.”

“Fickle wench.” 

Now they were both laughing, Hux giving up and putting his laptop away as he did so. He wouldn’t be able to do much more today, the moment for actual academia had passed. Maybe he could try again tomorrow. 

“Wanna hang at my place for a while?” Phasma said after a long draught of her drink, “Pizza and video games? I bet Mitaka I could kick his ass at Halo.”

“You could kick Mitaka’s ass at ‘I Spy’, that’s not exactly an achievement.” 

“Hey, who’s side are you on anyway?”

Hux flipped a finger at her, still grinning. “I’d be down for pizza and watching you torment the poor guy. I can’t be bothered to deal with Kylo tonight. He’s probably still finding his muse or whatever.” 

“Poor little poet.” She agreed, standing up, dwarfing the people milling about around the tables. Hux bit back a smirk as a young woman with her hair strangely bound in three buns openly gawked at his friend’s impressive stature. “C’mon soldier, let’s go.” 

……………………………………………………….

It was nearly midnight when Hux finally made it back home. Opening the front door he stepped into the apartment as quietly as he could, praying that Ren was either out or conked out asleep in his room. No such luck however, as Hux nearly jumped a foot in the air when he caught sight of a pale face staring at him from the couch in the near darkness of the place.

“Christ! Kylo what are you doing?!” 

“Where were you?” Kylo demanded, ignoring Hux completely. Hux glared at him.

“Phasma’s. What are you doing? You're just sitting in the fucking dark you moron!” 

“You were missing all day.” Kylo continued, as though Hux hadn’t spoken at all. Hux blinked in confusion, and frowned.

“Missing? The fuck are you talking about?”

“I called you!” Kylo snapped, his voice rising in volume a notch, which took Hux aback a bit. “You didn’t pick up and I got worried you _dick_!” 

Hux didn’t reply, fishing his phone from his pocket. Something in his chest dropped to his stomach when his screen declared that he had indeed missed not one call, but at least three from Kylo. A weird flutter of guilt ran through him, he’d set his phone to silent when he’d gone to the café, as to avoid distraction. He’d forgotten about it when Phasma invited him to hang out.

“Huh. Sorry?” He attempted, ignoring the way Kylo’s eyes glittered strangely in the shadows, a sneer stretching across his face. A derisive snort from his roommate echoed strangely in the relative stillness of the room.

“Oh, you’re sorry. That’s alright then.” He drawled, stalking forwards in a way that reminded Hux of some bizarre feral cat. “You could have been hit by a truck or mugged or some shit, but it doesn’t matter, because you’re _sorry_.”

Hux blinked “Hit by a-? You honestly think I’m that fucking stupid?!”

“You might’ve been!” Kylo hissed back, real anger colouring his face and voice now. Hux took a step back and raised his chin defensively. 

“But I wasn’t!”

“But you _MIGHT_ have been!”

The silence that followed was one of the heaviest Hux had ever encountered. The room fell into a strained hush after Kylo’s outburst, punctuated by their breathing. Hux willed himself to calm down a bit; their fighting at all hours was nothing completely new - hell they’d practically perfected it into an artform by now – but what _was_ new was seeing Ren staring at him like he’d seen a ghost, eyes wide and parted lips almost trembling. The big dark eyes roamed over Hux’s face as though seeing it anew. Hux inwardly sighed, apparently now he needed to deal with Ren’s sudden abandonment issues too. Despite his exasperation and somewhat discomfort at having Kylo staring at him like that, he swallowed his pride and looked away.

“I’m sorry I worried you.” He said, almost sincerely. 

Kylo huffed, shoving his hands into his pockets and resuming his customary slouch, though Hux could still see his body coiled with tension. “Don’t do it again.” 

Before Hux could reply Kylo practically fled back to his room, roughly bumping into Hux’s shoulder as he did so. Once the door slammed shut Hux glared at it. 

“Child.” He hissed. Only the slow ticking of the clock answered him.

……………………………………………..

It took a full two days for Kylo to come out of his room again, and only because the smell of Chinese takeout was too good to resist. Hux found the promise of food was normally enough to coax his roommate out of his hideaway, because he sure as well wouldn’t tolerate Kylo dying of starvation under their roof. He could do it outside if he liked, but not where Hux lived. For all he teased Hux about being skinny, Kylo never seemed to eat very much at all. 

Not that Hux cared. 

Kylo only briefly glanced at him whilst muttering a thanks, but, instead of retreating back into his room, perched onto one of the other kitchenette chairs opposite Hux and began wolfing it down. Rolling his eyes, Hux began taking considerably more sensible bites. 

“Waffd’Ioyuu?” 

Whatever Kylo was trying to say sent bits of noodle spraying in front of him. Hux’s face contorted a little in disgust as Kylo hastily wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He’d sincerely like to go back in time and stab whoever taught Kylo Ren table manners. 

“Beg pardon?” 

“What do I owe you?” Kylo repeated, his words clearer now they weren’t clogged with half-chewed chow mein. When Hux didn’t follow, Kylo indicated the box of takeout, “For this.” 

Hux’s eyebrows had never climbed up his forehead quicker. “You’ve never bothered to ask before.”

A pout formed on Kylo’s face as he glared back down into his food. “Yeah, well, I’m asking now.” 

Continuing to frown, Hux gave his roommate a quick glance over, checking for signs of illness. Kylo never cared about paying for his share of meals before, not seeming to realise it was rude. Considering their financial situation was getting close to fraught with rent coming up soon anyway, perhaps Kylo realised it was finally time to pull his weight.

“Uhh,” He heard himself saying, “About five-eighty.”

Kylo nodded. “Alright. I’ll pay you back later.”

Hux was thunderstruck. Kylo actually _paying_ him back? That was novel. Still, he told himself not to expect too much, it was more than plausible Kylo, being the wreck of a human being that he was, would forget. It wouldn’t be the first time Kylo forgot to take care of basic things, the seemingly endless pile of laundry on a chair near the back wall could attest to this. 

Of course, he didn’t say this to Kylo.

“…Okay.” 

Kylo lifted his head a little to give Hux a small lopsided smile, and Hux quickly shifted his concentration back to his food. 

Of course he’d noticed Kylo was, to a certain degree, attractive. Come on, he wasn’t _blind_ , and could certainly admire Kylo’s muscles (which was odd, seeing how Kylo rarely, if ever, did anything active) when Kylo wasn’t looking. His face could even be quite pleasant if it wasn’t locked in a perpetual scowl and Hux was feeling generous, it was just his personality that was the huge turn-off. Hux had seen people giving Kylo a once-over on the rare occasions the two were out in public together, blissfully unaware of the mercurial temper and awkwardness underneath. If only Hux could be as ignorant. 

When they’d both finished Kylo even helped Hux put everything away, which Hux found was almost entirely too weird and it wigged him out for the rest of the day.

…………………………………………………………

This was _intolerable._

Kylo Ren was being _nice._

Okay, perhaps ‘nice’ was a bit of a stretch, ‘less of an asshole than normal’ was more of an appropriate term. Doing a few odd jobs around the apartment and having conversations that weren’t laced with venom (though still rife with sarcasm) with Hux when they saw each other, sometimes smiling. He still spent hours upon hours holed up in his room blasting his music, but would actually turn it down to an acceptable volume if Hux asked. 

Hux was freaked out, and he told Phasma so as they sat in the library, study work lying forgotten in front of them.

“I don’t understand,” Phasma frowned. “I thought you’d be thrilled if he finally pulled his head out of his ass.” 

“Yeah but it’s _weird._ ” He stressed, fishing out his phone to show her a recent text from Kylo. “I think he’s ill.”

“That’s a little melodramatic Hux.”

“I’m serious.” He insisted, thrusting the phone under her nose. “Look!”

_Heading to the supermarket. Need anything?_

Phasma’s eyes went the size of teacups. “Shit, he’s dying.” 

“I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not.”

“I can’t think of any other reason for him to be nice to you, you’re both assholes.”

“I resent that.” 

Phasma laughed but otherwise didn’t dignify his reply with a response. Hux put his phone away and tried to turn back onto his essay, trying to conjure a satisfying conclusion out of thin air. In the space of ten minutes he’d typed about three words before Phasma piped up again: 

“Did I tell you about a girl I met last week?”

“No!” Hux cried, spinning round to face her, “You met someone?”

Phasma’s cheeks went the faintest shade of pink as she gave him a smile out the side of her mouth. “Yeah, kinda. She came up to me after I came out the gym, we…got talking.”

“You’re shitting me,” Hux beamed, giving her a light punch on the upper arm, “And you were going to keep this quiet? What’s her name? Do you like her?”

“Calm down _dad_ ,” she retorted in a voice practically screamed self-conscious excitement, her face getting steadily redder, “Her name’s Rey.”

“Do you like her?” Hux pressed, taking in his friend’s flushed face and sparkling eyes. Phasma nodded, biting her lip as she looked at him;

“Yeah…yeah I do.” 

Hux laughed victoriously, reaching out to wrap an arm around her in a one-armed hug, he really was pleased for her. All thoughts of Kylo Ren were pushed far into the back of his mind. 

…………………………………………………………….

“What rhymes with ‘orange’?”

Hux glanced up from his book to look at Kylo, who was currently sprawled out on the couch, notepad propped up against one knee, one hand holding his pencil aloft like a conductor’s baton. Committing crimes against poetry, then. 

“Sorry?”

“Orange. What rhymes with it?” Kylo repeated in a tone that made it seem that Hux was being incredibly stupid. Hux glared at him from over the top of his glasses.

“Isn’t this your area of expertise?”

Kylo huffed, offended. “My professor wants me to focus on rhyming structure, I told him I’m more about the _emotion_ of a piece-”

Hux looked back down at his book and snorted. “Yeah, you’re a regular Byron.” 

Kylo didn’t appear to notice Hux’s sarcasm, instead stabbing the air violently with his pencil out the corner of Hux’s eye. “I mean, look at my grandfather, he didn’t care about whatever rhymed! He just-”

Hux rolled his eyes, tuning out the rest of Kylo’s waffling about his grandfather. Anakin Skywalker – who became more famous under the pseudonym ‘Darth Vader’ (what twaddle) – wrote a few poems and was hailed by a few hipsters as one of the greatest poets of the century (Hux read them out of morbid curiosity; they were okay, at best.) 

“Nothing rhymes with orange, Kylo.” He cut in, somewhere around Kylo retelling the ‘tragedy’ of the Skywalker and Amidala affair, still not looking up from his reading. “Can’t you just pick another colour? Like red?”

Kylo shook his head dismissively, “Red’s too vague.” 

“And orange isn’t?” Hux looked up to see Kylo pouting at his notepad, apparently trying to create rhymes through sheer force of will and was failing miserably. Hux sighed, “What about copper? Or amber?”

Kylo turned to look at him, a thoughtful look crossing over his face. For a moment Hux thought Kylo looked very poetic, all relaxed limbs and pensive features. He then mentally berated himself because Kylo was a brat and had absolutely no business looking nice and poetic. Whatever his roommate was thinking about had come to its conclusion, because Kylo quickly returned to his notepad, scribbling furiously. Hux prayed for the poetry professor’s sanity that Kylo hadn’t tried to rhyme ‘copper’ with ‘chopper’ or something equally ridiculous. 

After a while Kylo shifted in his seat, causing his shirt to rise up a little and exposing a bit of skin along his hips that Hux determinedly did _not_ look at, and looked at Hux again.

“How does this sound? _“With one glance you kill me dead, I just see stars all tinged with red.”_ ”

Hux raised an eyebrow, “’Kill me dead?’ That’s…a bit silly.”

“But it rhymes!” Kylo shot back, clearly pleased with himself. 

“Weeeell, you’re not _wrong_ , but-”

“It rhymes, that’s the main thing.” Kylo sniffed dismissively, flipping the page over to scribble anew. Hux sighed, there was no point trying to make Kylo see sense, especially about his own writing because the boy could be as stubborn as a three year old in a toyshop when he wanted to be. Aside from actually battering him with his own notepad, Hux learned that attempting to give Kylo anything resembling constructive criticism was an adventure in futility. He also did not mention the fact that Kylo had used the word ‘red’ anyway. 

“What’s your poem about anyway?” He asked after a while. Kylo glanced at him. 

“Hmm? Oh,” He shrugged, worrying the pencil between his teeth, his eyes flitting between Hux and the notepad. “Just, y’know, the usual. Love. Whatever.” 

Hux fought the urge to roll his eyes because what else would Kylo possibly write about? Sappy sentimental shit was practically his bread and butter. Hux thought maybe someone should suggest Kylo write something _other_ than whatever nonsense was making his heart beat at that point in time. Maybe war or something.

However, that person was not going to be Hux. 

What he said instead was; “God I dread to think how melodramatic you’ll get when you finally get a girlfriend.” 

He was rewarded with a glare as a response, accompanied by a rude hand gesture. Despite his smirk, Hux allowed himself a moment of speculative panic. What _if_ Kylo got a girlfriend? Or boyfriend? Where would that leave Hux? While he suspected Kylo wouldn’t throw him out on the streets straightaway, where would he go? Not back to his father. No way. Maybe New York?....

“What?” He spluttered, breaking sharply out of his thoughts when he noticed Kylo staring at him. Spots of colour popped up on Kylo’s cheeks as he glared.

“I _said_ , what rhymes with ‘copulation’?”

 _Kill me._ Hux groaned inwardly. 

…………………………………………………………….

It was three weeks later when the phone call came. 

Hux was padding around the kitchen, studiously ignoring the three day old pizza in the fridge. He started assembling a sandwich from whatever crap he could find (making a mental note to drag Kylo’s ass out grocery shopping later) when he noticed the little red light on their answering machine flashing away innocently. Shoving an extra piece of bread into his mouth Hux went over to play the message.

 _“This is the residence of Kenneth Hux and Kylo Ren,”_ came his own voice, digitized and slightly crackling from the speaker, _“We either can’t or won’t come to the phone right now. Please leave a message and one of us will try to get back to you. Thanks.”_

There was a brief pause as the machine started to play the message which Hux took advantage of to take a bite of his sandwich. A woman’s voice began to speak, soft yet somehow stern at the same time:

 _“Ben? It’s Mom. I know you like the name Kylo but this is just silly….did you get a boyfriend? Sorry, er, I’m just calling to let you know our offer for Thanksgiving still stands. Same as last year….and the year before that….Um, your father and I would love it if you came…I know you haven’t yet, but, you could you know. We’re not angry with you Ben, I don’t know how often I need to say this. Are you still angry? Please. Just come see us….Or not. Your choice. Love you…..bye.”_

Hux frowned at the machine as it rattled off his various options, but didn’t wipe the message. He knew that voice from somewhere. Did he ever meet Kylo’s…no, wait, Ben’s mother? 

Kylo was named Ben?

Well of course, he lectured himself, who on Earth calls their child _Kylo_? It was probably some pretentious pseudonym he’d picked up along the way. A burning curiosity started to build in his gut as he continued to stare at their answering machine. He liked to think he was above things like gossip and drama with the family of people he knew.

Alas, he wasn’t. He was just better at hiding it than most. 

He’d definitely make sure he was in the room when Kylo heard the message. 

When Kylo finally came home a few hours later from some poetry reading he’d been obsessing over for days, Hux was answering emails from his lecturer about the finer points of his essay (it had taken ages to complete, but Hux was rather proud of it, in the end), barely looking at Ren as he shrugged off his bag.

“Message for you on the machine.” He announced, gesturing to it with= a jerk of his chin. Kylo didn’t respond as he shuffled over to play it. Hux surreptitiously watched over the laptop screen. 

_”Ben? It’s Mom-”_

If Hux hadn’t been watching he would have missed the flood of emotions that washed over Ren’s face in the span of milliseconds; Sadness, anger, disgust, a little fear, then right back to anger again as he viciously jabbed at the machine with his finger, cutting off the rest of the message and deleting it before Hux could react. He stomped back over to the fridge, pulled the door open with force, and began eating the leftover pizza as if he could work out some of his ire that way. Hux lifted an eyebrow.

“So, Ben huh?”

Kylo swallowed, slamming the half-eaten slice onto the counter, his dark eyes darting everywhere around their apartment except in Hux’s direction.

“Doesn’t matter.” He mumbled. “Don’t go by that name anymore.” 

Hux sighed. “Look, I don’t care if you and your mother disagree on what to call you. Hell, I get the whole ‘hating your name’ thing. There’s a reason I only go by Hux you know.”

“I know.” Kylo replied, his voice softer than it should be considering he was demolishing his pizza slice with all the grace of a bull elephant. 

“Your mother sounds like she really wants to see you.”

A look of hurt crossed his roommates face, as if he couldn’t believe Hux would dare suggest such a thing, before his expression cleared with understanding. It lasted all of a second before clouding over with anger again.

“Y-You bastard! You listened to it before I came home didn’t you?!”

“Yes I did.” Hux retorted, closing his laptop screen to focus all his attention on his roommate, who was steadily growing redder in the face. “Your mother called you. Boo hoo. Just call her back.”

“No!” Kylo practically roared, vaulting upright so suddenly Hux nearly got whiplash following the movement with his eyes. Ren began pacing about the room, running a hand distractedly through his hair, causing it to become a ruffled cloud that Hux did not find attractive in the slightest. At all. “You don’t understand-”

“Understand _what_?” Hux cut in, pinching the bridge of his nose. Kylo Ren had always been a dramatic little shit, but throwing a fit over a phone call from his mother may have actually been the limit for Hux’s not inconsiderable patience. “Understand that you don’t want to talk to your mother? At least _your_ parents care enough to call!”

Okay, that might have been a case of oversharing there, and Hux instantly clamped his mouth shut to stop anything else embarrassing escaping, but he needn’t have worried, Kylo – Ben? Should he call him Ben now? – didn’t seem to have noticed. 

“I-I can’t just _call_ them! It’s complicated. After what I did…No! I’m not calling her!”

Hux began to stand, hands outstretched placatingly “Calm down-”

“Don’t tell me to _CALM DOWN!_ ” Kylo shouted, picking up a discarded mug from the sink and hurling it into a nearby wall. The shattering noise was like a thunderclap in Hux’s ears as he froze on the spot, watching helplessly as the shards cascaded to the floor. A dreadful silence followed, punctuated by Kylo’s harsh breathing. Hux forced himself to meet Ren’s eyes, and saw that those dark eyes were wet. 

Neither said anything, Hux still willing his limbs to move, having unconsciously clamped up at the sight and sound of poor innocent crockery being destroyed in anger. (If he heard an echo of his father’s shouting as he smashed another mug during another argument once upon a time…well. That was his business.)

Kylo sucked in a deep breath, drawing himself up to his full height, breaking the spell of hush that had come over them. Without a word, he turned on his heel and strode out the door. 

After a few minutes, Hux gingerly stepped over the remains of the mug, promising himself he’d clean it up later. Pushing open the door he poked his head out and spotted Kylo sat at the bottom of their communal stairwell, hunched over himself as though attempting to make himself smaller, face buried in his arms. 

Hux took a few deep breaths, standing out into the corridor fully and pulling their door close. Slowly, so as not to startle Kylo, he made his way down the stairs to sit down next to his roommate. He glanced over at Kylo, who hadn’t acknowledged him. 

“I’m sorry.” He half-whispered, hoping that keeping his voice soft was a good idea. It seemed to be a good start, seeing as Kylo’s shoulders lifted in a tiny aborted shrug. He mumbled something, but it was muffled by his arms.

“Sorry?”

“Did I hurt you?” Kylo repeated, lifting his head a little. “When I threw that mug?”

“No. No it didn’t touch me.” Hux replied, a little confused, watching Ren carefully as the man nodded to himself, reassuring himself. Hux clenched his jaw and cast about for what to say next.

“You don’t have to call your mum.” He said eventually, trying to put a bit of comfort into his voice and inwardly cringing. Comfort was not a skill he’d ever thought to practice. Ren huffed, bringing his arms closer around him in a sort of self-hug. Something about the movement was so childlike that something inside Hux twisted at the sight. 

“My birth name is Ben Organa-Solo.” Kylo said suddenly, still not looking at Hux. Hux openly stared.

“Organa-Solo?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“As in Ambassador _Leia_ Organa-Solo?!”

Ren’s lips pulled back in a self-deprecating smile, but it vanished before Hux could truly appreciate it. “Yeah. She’s my mother.”

So that’s where he knew her voice from. Hux had seen the Ambassador a few times in news reports and political events on television. A voice in the back of his mind wondered if Ren knew how easily their rent could have been covered without them having to resort to selling their toaster on eBay last week. 

“Hold up, you mean to tell me we’ve been eating three day old pizza when your mother is Leia Organa-Solo?!”

“I’m _not_ an Organa-Solo!” Kylo hissed, a note of anger colouring his voice again. “Not anymore.”

“Why?” Hux blurted, ignoring his instincts that told him enough was enough, and this wasn’t his business. But it was out before he could stop it. Kylo finally turned to look at him, something tight around his eyes. Hux felt he should look away, that continuing to stare at Ren was dangerous territory, but he couldn’t. He kept his eyes on Kylo’s mournful expression.

“Dad wasn’t around much.” Kylo began, his voice low, almost hypnotising in its tone. “What with him being a trucker and everything. Mom was always busy too. Sure, Uncle Luke was always babysitting me, so I wasn’t _technically_ alone. But, I just felt alone. You know?”

Hux nodded, unsure where Kylo was going with this, but indicating that Kylo should continue. 

“Anyway. Mom always wanted me to go to somewhere posh and important, like Harvard or something. Dad agreed, but I didn’t want that. I wanted to do something a bit more…well, artistic. When they were away I used to read some of my grandfather’s poetry. It just….I dunno, spoke to me or some shit. The more I read the more I wanted to be like him. He was just so passionate about stuff. Uncle Luke didn’t approve, I knew, but I read it anyway. I tried writing my own shit. I think Mom and Dad were okay with it as a hobby, but when I started to look into doing it as a career, they didn’t get it.” Kylo’s fingers involuntarily clenched tighter on his clothing, Hux could see the knuckles beginning to whiten. “They didn’t _understand._ ”

Hux nodded again, taking this in, this was more than he’d heard Kylo speak in one go in, well, ever. He kept his mouth shut, letting Kylo fill the space with his words, having burst a dam neither knew was there.  
“We used to fight. A lot. Spent most of my time in my room-” He cut himself off with another self-deprecating huff of laughter, “Clearly nothing’s changed.”

“When I was fifteen, no…..I think I was sixteen? Anyway, Dad and I got into a huge fight. Bigger than any we’d ever had. Things got thrown, words were said. I-I don’t remember exactly what Dad said….I was just so _angry_. I…I pushed him. He fell and hit his head on the steps leading into the garden. I didn’t mean to!”

The sentence was almost swallowed by a massive shuddering breath as Kylo relived his memory, voice gradually getting thicker with emotion as he spoke. Hux opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

“He was in a coma for three months.” 

“Shit.” Hux breathed, the news settling over him. What could he say to that? He just stared at Ren’s build. He knew Kylo could be strong with that physique, and pushing someone hard enough that they fell was entirely plausible, however accidental. Not able to find the necessary words he knew would help, Hux brought up a hand to settle on Ren’s shoulder, feeling the coiled muscle underneath and pretending he didn’t notice the way Kylo was trembling.

“I didn’t mean to...” Kylo ploughed on breathlessly; seemingly unable to prevent the words from coming now he’d started. “Next thing I knew Uncle Chewy had lost it too. Grabbed me and flung me practically into the road. I remember my mom screaming at us to stop, that Dad needed help. Uncle Luke was there, he called the ambulance, I think. I just remember thinking I’d murdered my father.”

“But you didn’t-” Hux began, but Kylo shook his head, like he was trying to clear his ears of water. 

“I couldn’t go back after that. To look Mom in the eye….after I put Dad in a coma?! Neither of my uncles were willing to talk to me, turned their backs on me. It was all my fault. I knew, then. I knew nothing I did would be enough. They loved Dad more than they would ever love me…..” 

“Oh, Kylo…” Hux breathed, gripping Ren’s shoulder a little tighter, trying to convey more words into the touch than he could with words. “I’m sure that’s not…”

“It’s true!” Kylo insisted, voice breaking. Hux pretended not to see him angrily scrubbing at his eyes with his other wrist. “When they were all visiting Dad in hospital, I went back home, packed my stuff and left. I had some money saved in a replica of my grandfather’s mask – you know, that one he wore to interviews? – I legally changed my name to Kylo Ren and went away. I...I haven’t been back since. I get calls from her every now and again, but...Hux, I can’t go back. Even if I apologise to Dad they’d never believe me. They say they aren’t angry, b-but I know they are. I’m not gonna be forgiven for what I did.”

“But it was an accident.” Hux replied, wishing he could make his voice more soothing. He settled for rubbing small circles on Ren’s shoulders instead. “If they say they aren’t angry, maybe they aren’t. Call your mother, you’ll never know otherwise.” 

Kylo looked at him for such a long time Hux began to feel a bit uncomfortable, itching to squirm to get away from that gaze. Kylo was damnably attractive this close, which irritated Hux the second he thought about it, which irritated him because he thought about it. _Hate Kylo remember? Terrible roommate. Worse poet. And he’s upset, you complete fucking creep._

“You don’t call your mom.” Kylo said softly, still looking at Hux. Hux felt his jaw clench.

“My mother died when I was about eight.” He explained, waving a hand and ignoring the way Kylo’s face blanched. “Cancer, I think. Father was never particularly forthcoming about it; it wasn’t like their marriage was stellar anyway. Dad made it very clear that he wouldn’t accept my calls anyway.” 

“What? How come?” 

“Because I like cock.” Hux deadpanned, watching it sink in. Kylo’s lips twitched, as though he wanted to laugh but wasn’t sure he was allowed. “Father didn’t like it. I didn’t want to stay at home anymore and he didn’t want me there. So, here I am.”

Kylo shook his head ruefully. “We’re both runaways, huh?” He said, not unkindly.

Hux removed his hand from Kylo’s shoulder to lean back on his elbows, the stairs digging uncomfortably into his spine. “Looks like it.”

“For what it’s worth-“ Kylo began, then paused, looking as if he was searching for the words, bringing his knees to his chest. “Thanks for listening. I’m sorry about your dad….and the mug.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Hux said lightly, craning his neck a little to look at Kylo’s face. “For what it’s worth, I think I understand you a little better now.” 

Kylo ducked his head, hair falling forward to partially obscure a small smile. It was a nice smile all things considered, Hux thought, he should do it more. 

………………………………………………………

Thanksgiving rolled around sooner than Hux thought it would. Kylo was hovering by the doorway, duffel bag leaning against the wall.

“You could come with me.” He said for what felt like the hundredth time. 

“I’m English; I don’t give a shit about Thanksgiving.” Hux shot back, exasperated. He had tactfully kept out of Kylo’s tentative reconnection with his family, though he could see a burgeoning hope in his roommate as he’d made preparations to visit his family for the first time in years. Whenever Kylo offered to bring Hux with him, Hux had tried to be gentle and say this was something for Kylo to do for himself, not for Hux to interfere with but eventually settled for snapping that he wasn’t going to hold Kylo’s hand and that Kylo would just have to buck up and deal with it. A small part of him had felt guilty after that, but he’d be damned if he’d admit it.

“But you’ll be alone, on Thanksgiving.”

“I’ve been alone lots of times Kylo, I think I’ll survive.”

Kylo worried his bottom lip between his teeth and Hux tried very hard not to stare. He knew Ren was just trying to put off the inevitable and see his family, but Hux would shove him out the door if need be. 

“Don’t worry,” he stressed, trying to make a joke of it. “If I feel like I’m dying of solitude, I’ll just bother Phasma, you needn’t worry.” 

Kylo snorted. “Doesn’t she have a girlfriend to be entertaining?” 

“Rey doesn’t really have anywhere to go so Phasma’s invited her to stay with her when her parents visit. I’m sure she can take in another stray if I act pathetic enough.” 

“Ha.” 

Hux waved a hand at him. “Shoo, steal me a piece of cake or something.” 

“Right,” Kylo laughed, pulling his hood up over his hair. “Oh! Before I forget-”

Before Hux could ask what he’d forgotten, Kylo had crossed the room and wrapped an arm around Hux’s shoulders in an incredibly awkward one-armed hug. He really was very tall.

“Uh?” Hux asked Kylo’s shoulder. 

“In case it all goes well.” Kylo murmured back. “I want to thank you. You made this happen.”

“Nagged you more like.” Hux grumbled back, unwilling to return the hug for fear of admitting he kind of liked it. “And if it goes wrong?”

“…Then you’ll get a punch.” Came the reply. “Though I hope it won’t.”

“I hope not either.” He meant it. 

When they pulled back, Kylo had that same silly smile on his face. Hux wanted to kiss it off. Or smack it off. Whatever. 

……………………………………………………………..

Hux wasn’t missing Kylo.

He was _not._

A few months ago Hux would have fucking jumped at the chance to be rid of Kylo Ren for a few days. The apartment was clean, the laundry got done, Hux tidied all the crap into reasonable piles, even sorted out the fridge into what was edible and what wasn’t. He played his own music at a reasonable volume. Hell, he could have fucking danced for joy at the prospect.

And yet….

“Oh get over it, it’s been four days.” He sneered at himself. 

Phasma had been cool with him coming over the day before Thanksgiving, excitedly introducing him to Rey. He had to admit, she was a hell of a girl, keeping up with his quips and soundly thrashing them all at poker. He could tell she and his friend suited each other admirably. 

When Phasma asked where Ren was, Hux had given a vague answer, not wanting to tell her the whole situation with Ren’s family. He got the feeling that what Kylo had told him had been a private thing, a story just for them, and the idea of telling anyone else left a sour feeling in his mouth. 

“Well, at least he didn’t get you to storm out this time.” Phasma commiserated, passing him a beer. Hux didn’t reply aside from a hum in acknowledgement. 

“Who?” Rey piped up.

“Hux’s dick of a roommate, Kylo Ren.” Phasma answered, before Hux could. Hux wanted to protest that Ren wasn’t _that_ much of a dick, not really. But he didn’t. After all, hadn’t he been complaining about him for nearly a year now? 

“The poet?”

Hux’s head jerked up to stare at Rey, who was chewing on a bit of beef jerky (Lord knows where she got _that_ from). 

“You know him?”

“Lanky, greasy black hair, constantly pouting?” Rey asked, Hux nodded in affirmation. “Yup, I know him.”

“How?” Phasma asked, curious, “I didn’t know you liked poetry.”

“I don’t, particularly. But my friend Finn is in the same class. I’ve seen him around.” Rey chewed the jerky thoughtfully, looking at Hux. “He’s always writing the same shit, being in love with your red hair and whatnot.”

Phasma’s head swung around to stare at Hux in the most unsubtle manoeuvre in the history of head movements. Hux could only stare.

“You what now?”

“Yeah. You didn’t know?” Rey asked in an innocent tone that was blatantly false, a gleam in her eyes that almost reminded Hux of Kylo when he decided to get a little bit malicious. “Dude’s crazy about you. Though, no offense, your eyes don’t look that emerald-y to me.”

Phasma was still staring. 

_What. In. The. Actual Hell?_

“Um.” Hux said, rather articulate for someone in his position, he thought. “I…think you might be mistaken.”

Rey gave him a withering look that lasted far too long in Hux’s opinion….and Phasma was _still_ staring!

“Mmm…no. Nope I’m pretty sure those poems are about you.” She declared confidently, tapping Phasma on the arm. “Babe, you’re gawping.” 

“I knew it!” Phasma cried once she’d broken out of her trance. “I _knew_ nobody could bicker that much and not be hatebanging!”

“Excuse _me_ ” Hux interjected, desperately trying to claw back some semblance of control now everything seemed horrible off-kilter. “There is no _hatebanging_!” 

“No, but I think there will be…” Phasma replied in a disgustingly smug sing-song tone. 

“Seriously, go read his ‘Soldier Boy’, it’s totally about you!” Rey encouraged, enjoying this way too much to possibly be healthy. 

“R-Right.” Hux answered lamely, realising with dread that his face and neck had suddenly gotten very warm, his stomach having dive-bombed down to around the general vicinity of his knees. “I’ll do that.”

When Hux left Phasma’s hooting laughter and Rey’s enthusiastic bouncing made his face burn all the hotter. 

………………………………………………………………

The laptop screen stared at him from the dining table.

He’d come home and immediately fired up the university’s poetry page. On Kylo’s link there was a collection of what the professor had deemed his best work. There, right at the top, was the one Rey had told him to read: ‘Soldier Boy’.

Hux wasn’t nervous, Kenneth Hux didn’t get _nervous_ over some goddamn poetry. He was simply….anticipatory. 

What if Rey was wrong? What if Ren was talking about someone else? Okay, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Hux wasn’t developing _feelings_ or anything. Or so he told himself. Lying to oneself always makes a person feel a little bit better.

“Here goes nothing.”

He clicked the link, and a block of text flashed up on the screen: 

_Oh Soldier boy, where have you been?_  
So pale and grave with eyes of steel?  
Oh Soldier boy, what have you seen,  
To make you think that you don’t feel? 

_Oh Soldier boy, when were you here?_  
Your fierce hand knocking on my door,  
Your voice a ghost I could not hear  
Did I not see you there before? 

_I see you now, my soldier boy,_  
Your hair like copper in the sun  
You give me pain and grief, and joy  
Like burning fires just begun. 

_Oh soldier boy, can you see me?_  
Would it change if you’d have known  
That just one word from you would see  
My lonely heart come running home. 

Hux read the poem. The read it again. Then read it a third time just to be sure. For Kylo, this was a fair attempt at writing. Not exactly Byron, but, then again, if it _was_ about him, Hux wasn’t about to go criticizing it. 

Is this how Kylo saw him?

If it wasn’t, that was fine. Hux could just sit back and prepare for spending the rest of his academic life looking at Ren from afar and wondering. That was fine. Ren could go about being horrendously in love and Hux could just stew in his weird horniness for Ren. That was fine.

That wasn’t going to be fine. 

Shit.

He may have developed feelings for Kylo Ren.

…………………………………………………

Kylo came home two days later, and Hux had been an anxious mess for both of them. He’d bitten his nails down to the quick to his immense shame, and had paced the apartment so often he was pretty sure the downstairs neighbours thought he’d set up a drum kit. 

What would he even say to Kylo? _“Hey I read your poem that may or may not be about me and it bothers me because I might have feelings for you which also bothers me because you’re a huge infant.” _? Yeah, that would go down well.__

__The key turned in the lock and Hux very carefully did _not_ jump out of his skin._ _

__“Hey!” Kylo called through the apartment._ _

__“Hey,” Hux replied, far too casually. “How did it go?”_ _

__Kylo dropped his bag and stepped fully into the room, a wide grin plastered on his face. “You were right! I mean, it was awkward at first, but it went really well. Even Uncle Chewy said he was pleased to see me! Or he might have told me to fuck off and die; it’s always hard to tell with his accent….did you tidy up?”_ _

__Hux smiled at Kylo’s ramblings, the sound actually pretty good to hear after months and months of having it grate on his nerves. Now he thought about it, did it ever really grate on his nerves? It must have done, once._ _

__“How was your week?”_ _

__“Mine? Oh, you know, solitude and paperwork.” Hux said airily._ _

__“Good! That’s…that’s good.” Kylo smiled, wide and toothy, as he deposited his hoodie and keys on the dining table. “Oh, I got you something!”_ _

__“Got me-?” Hux began, bewildered as Kylo rushed back out the door in a whirl of limbs, only to reappear in moments with some kind of hairy orange bundle in his arms. A hairy orange bundle that, when Hux inspected it closer, mewled quietly._ _

__“Kylo,” he asked slowly, “is that-?”_ _

__“A cat!” Kylo finished for him, eagerly holding it up for Hux’s approval. “Her name’s Millicent. I found her on the streets by my parents’ house, I checked with a local vet, she’s got all her shots but she’s definitely a stray.” He trailed off, laughter in his eyes as he looked at Hux. “A ginger runaway. I thought you might like her.”_ _

__“Kylo, she’s lovely…but we can barely feed ourselves, let alone a cat too.”_ _

__“Well…” Kylo shuffled his feet awkwardly, “my mom says that if we get too poor, she’ll help out. I mean, nothings a hundred percent yet, but it’s better than I could hope for…just, take her, take her!” He said all this in a rush as he handed the cat over to Hux. Hux looked down at it as it regarded him with sombre green eyes._ _

__“Hey Millie.” He smiled, giving her a scratch behind a crooked ear. Having a cat might not be an altogether bad thing, he supposed. Especially one as cute as this._ _

__“You okay?” Kylo asked, frowning a little._ _

__“Yeah, um, I have to talk to you about something.” Hux said, placing Millicent onto the sofa where she immediately proceeded to spread out. Just like Kylo._ _

__“Sounds ominous.” Kylo said, a self-conscious smile playing about his lips. Hux made a valiant effort to appear straight faced as he forced himself to look straight at Kylo._ _

__“I met Phasma’s new girlfriend, Rey. She’s got a friend in your class.”_ _

__“Oh?”_ _

__“Yeah. Um. She told me to read your poem ‘Soldier Boy’.”_ _

__Every speck of colour drained from Kylo’s face and his mouth went a little slack. “…Oh.”_ _

__For a moment neither of them spoke, just staring at each other, one in apprehension and one in sheer terror. Kylo seemed to swallow very hard several times before he opened his mouth, Hux could sympathise._ _

__“Did you, aha, wh-what did you think of it?”_ _

__“I liked it.”_ _

__Kylo’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief. “Really?”_ _

__“Yeah, it wasn’t terrible.” Hux stammered, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand absentmindedly. He snorted a little laugh, “You’re a regular Byron.”_ _

__“You don’t mind that it’s about you?”_ _

__“So it was about me? I, I didn’t want to presume-”_ _

__“Hux,” Kylo said, so quietly and so sincere that Hux couldn’t help but look at him, to see that face so soft and affectionate, he could barely stand it. “Hux, who else would it be about?”_ _

__Hux couldn’t answer that. Instead, he gave Kylo a smile back. Clearly he’s have to practice it a bit more as it must have come across as more of a grimace judging by the way Kylo’s face immediately shifted into a panicked expression._ _

__“If it bothers you, I won’t write about you anymore. I-I can take it down-”_ _

__Hux strode forward a few paces and shut Ren up the only way he knew would work, he kissed him._ _

__Or, at least, he tried to, because Ren gasped and drew back suddenly, nearly making Hux fall to the floor. Between that heartbeat and the next, Kylo started babbling nervously, flapping his hands like an overanxious grandmother._ _

__“Sorry! You just surprised me. Did I ruin it? I’ve ruined it haven’t I? God I’m so fucking-”_ _

__“Ren?”_ _

__“Yeah?”_ _

__“Shut up and kiss me, you prat.”_ _

__Kylo was all too eager to oblige - almost knocking Hux back a few paces with his veritable _leap_ across the space between them- wrapping his arms tightly around Hux’s torso. It was sloppy, at an awkward angle. Withdrawing a bit, Hux wriggled his arm away from the bone-crushing grip to gently tilt Kylo’s chin to kiss him again properly. Now he’d loosened his arms a tad Kylo couldn’t seem to keep his hands in any one place for more than a few seconds; sinking into Hux’s hair, only to gently flutter by his neck, then running his hand down Hux’s sides to grip his hips. Hux for his part, kept his hands exploring Kylo’s not insubstantial shoulders. _ _

__“When did you-?” Kylo asked, the words barely a whisper against Hux’s lips. “I mean, how long?”_ _

__“I don’t know.” Hux breathed. “I don’t…I don’t think it was a moment. It’s always been kinda there.”_ _

__“And you didn’t say anything?”_ _

__“In my defence, neither did you.” Hux shot back accusingly. “How long have _you_ -?” _ _

__Kylo ducked his head, embarrassed. “That night you didn’t come home.” He admitted, gripping Hux a little tighter for a second. “I was so worried…and…and I just knew. Then. You know?”_ _

__Hux did. He leaned up again._ _

__“Idiot.” He whispered, pulling Kylo into a deep, slow kiss that send tingles right down to his toes._ _

__When the need for air became greater than the need for making out Hux drew back. Kylo was having no such problem apparently, as he instantaneously latched onto Hux’s neck and going at it with such gusto Hux swore, bringing up his hands to tug insistently at Kylo’s hair._ _

__“R-Ren. Kylo, let go of me a sec, you fucking vampire.”_ _

__Kylo complied, but not without a little noise of protest. Hux would have laughed at Kylo’s somehow sullen yet dazed expression if he hadn’t found it weirdly endearing. Trying to force his brain into constructing coherent sentences Hux tried to ignore the way if felt as if those hands were burning into his hips, or the way Kylo kept glancing back down to Hux’s own kiss bruised lips distractedly. Hux wanted to suggest that perhaps they move this business to the couch because it would be far easier and more comfortable than awkwardly groping each other in the middle of the room._ _

__“Couch.” Was what croakily escaped him._ _

__Kylo’s answering smile was all teeth as he enthusiastically made a grab at Hux’s hand and practically pulled him to the sofa, sparing a quick “move” at Millicent and giving her a quick push out of the way, resulting in an indignant hiss as their new addition jumped up and stalked to another part of the apartment. Hux had a suspicion Kylo was going to discover shredded pillows in the near future. As Kylo flopped onto the couch the momentum pulled Hux forward with the vice-like grip on his hand. Before Hux could think about a way to save himself from falling into an undignified heap he found himself somehow manoeuvred so that he was awkwardly straddling Kylo’s hips, hands squarely on either side of that stupid grinning head._ _

__“You’ve done that before.” Hux remarked dryly, shifting himself into a more reasonable position. Posture was important, even in the lap of your attractive roommate who, judging by the state of his jeans was enjoying it immensely._ _

__“Thought you’d want to be the tall one for once.” Ren smirked back, fingers inching up under the hem of Hux’s button up shirt._ _

__“Piss off; I’m only an inch shorter.” Hux protested, feigning offence. Bringing down one of his hands to trace the curve of Kylo’s cheek with a finger Hux marvelled at the sight of Kylo unconsciously following the movement with an inclination of his head, still staring up at him. “Nobody likes a lanky smartarse anyway.”_ _

__“As opposed to a short tyrant?”_ _

__The following kiss was almost punishing in its intensity, all teeth and quick tongues as Hux rolled his hips down with more pressure. The hand in his hair tightened as Kylo inhaled sharply through his nose right next to Hux’s ear and God didn’t _that_ send a sharp jolt straight to Hux’s groin. Kylo’s hands were well and truly up his shirt now, fingernails lightly scratching at Hux’s skin. A voice far in the back of Hux’s mind noted that this would have been a good thing to start doing the minute he’d moved in with Kylo Ren, but he mentally slapped it away; it seemed a bit redundant now anyway. _ _

__His trousers were almost painfully tight now, and Kylo didn’t seem to be in a better state, hands scrabbling at both their zippers. Taking pity on him, Hux brought his own hands down to undo his own trousers, then did the same to Kylo._ _

__“Shit.” Swore Kylo. “I just remembered. I…I don’t have anything. Um…”_ _

__Hux raised an eyebrow, “Like lube? You mean for fucking?”_ _

__A blush the spectacular shade of crimson suffused all of Kylo’s face and most of his neck as he looked away and bit his lip in embarrassment. “Y-yeah.”_ _

__Hux thought about his own recently sorry excuse for a sex life. “Hm. I don’t either.”_ _

__“You don’t?” Kylo looked horrified._ _

__“Relax, I’ve dealt with this before.”_ _

__“But-”_ _

__“Shut up. I know what I’m doing.”_ _

__Whatever response Kylo had lined up broke off into a choked whine as Hux spat into one palm and snaked his hand into Kylo’s pants and began rhythmically stroking. It was messy and uncoordinated but it was worth it for every gasp and moan he dragged forth from the other man. Kylo’s hands seemed practically set in stone in their unrelenting hold of Hux’s shoulders, nails digging in a little sharper with every twist of Hux’s hand. Every noise and movement sent Hux a little closer to the edge himself, his own breath loud in his ears and his skin feeling as if he were on fire. With a sharp pull Kylo dragged Hux’s mouth back down to his, crushing their mouths together even as he groaned and writhed beneath Hux._ _

__“Come on.” Hux whispered against the sweat drenched skin of Kylo’s cheek. “Come on you bastard-”_ _

__Kylo came with a shuddering gasp, spine arching off the couch. Hux felt the body beneath him shaking even as he chased his own climax by thrusting his hips against Kylo’s thigh. As he bit out a groan as his vision whitened out he felt soft dry kisses being pressed against his hair. Kylo’s voice broke through the haze as though from a great distance:_ _

__“I didn’t even get to touch you.” And he sounded so petulant that Hux couldn’t help but snicker, face pressed against the fabric of Ren’s tee shirt._ _

__“Next time.” He grinned._ _

__They stayed that way for a few minutes, Hux pressed flush against Kylo and Kylo carding his fingers gently through Hux’s hair._ _

__“We should clean up.” Hux suggested sleepily, angry at his limbs which were currently refusing to obey his commands to move. “We’re getting disgusting.”_ _

__“Yeah probably.” Kylo agreed, making no effort to move whatsoever. Suddenly he began to laugh. A genuine belly laugh that startled Hux a bit._ _

__“What?” He demanded._ _

__“Nothing.” Kylo replied, shaking his head, still laughing. “It just- you should see our cat. She’s giving us one _hell_ of a look for desecrating her bed.” _ _

__………………………………………………….._ _

__“What the-? No. _fuck_. Millie, get _off._ ” _ _

__Hux frowned drowsily at Kylo’s muttered cursing. Squinting at the digital clock (which gleefully informed him that it was _way_ earlier than it should be) he rolled over to see what was occurring on the other side of the bed._ _

__Millicent had decided that her new favourite sleeping place was Kylo’s head._ _

__“Well, that’s what you get for choosing to ruin the sofa for her.”_ _

__Kylo glared at him. “Not helping.”_ _

__“I wasn’t going to.” Hux replied triumphantly, rolling back over away from Kylo’s newest nightly battle with Millicent._ _

__Kylo Ren was a terrible roommate, a worse poet._ _

__But, as boyfriends go._ _

__He was pretty good._ _

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first attempt at writing smut, you can tell can't you? Sheesh.


End file.
